photo by Alex Lear

three random moments

1.

i’m trying

to be what we mean

when referring to stubborn beauty/

            relentless friendship

            an unfreezable warmth

            that does not require touch

                        to be intimate

2.

a lady was walking

down the street once & said

to her friend as they stepped

toward the bus stop, i’m

six cents short

and at that same moment

while getting into my car

i heard her

dug into my pocket

produced a nickel & a penny

said, here you go, she

said thankyou, we both

smiled & went on

where we were going

3.

i don’t know 

if you have ever looked

into the dark

of that little hole

that tiny opening

that seems so infinite

willed yourself not to shake

or stutter

as, for whatever reason

& on whatever occasion

you chose to place yourself

squarely in front of

the steel asshole

of a gun in the hands

of the enemy

of the people

i don’t know, but if you have

then you know

what i mean when i say

you do nothing

but wait & hope

the breath you are holding

is not your last

—kalamu ya salaam